Ghostbusters: Chicago Division
Heat Rising
By Dan Shannon
Epilogue
It was now beginning to cool down around the Chicago area. After the hectic days that have passed, it was now time to tie up the loose ends of those events. After all the destruction and loss of life, it was now time for Dan Shannon to pay respects. Accompanied by the Chicago Detective Janice Bellum who now had recovered from her prolonged possession with Cryoka, they walked into the doors of a funeral home to be directed to a room that had in the front of the chapel 3 coffins, two of them smaller than a normal casket.
Dan, being dressed in a black suit with a dark purple tie also carrying a small tote bag, had Janice on his arm as he looked at her with a look signifying he wanted her to wait by the door. She nodded and let loose of his arm to walk forward. By the coffins were numerous pictures and easels with flowers. He came up to the pictures and saw a picture of the boy from the park wearing a tan one piece suit with a Ghostbusters patch on the front and on the arm with one of those inflatable Proton Packs on his back. He looked at the picture with great discontent in his heart as he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.
Dan didn't turn around, but instead lowered his head as he heard a woman's voice speak softly from behind him, "He wanted to be a Ghostbuster when he grew up. He really admired you guys." He turned to find the Judge from his hearing, tears in her eyes. Dan spoke as softly, "Your Honor, I still wish I could have done something more."
"You came," she smiled as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue, "and you punished the thing that took him from us. For me, you did everything you could do. For that, I'm thankful."
"Your Honor," Dan said while looking back to the coffins, "If I may, I wish to pay my respects." The Judge nodded her head as Dan walked to each of the coffins. He reached into the bag and retrieved a crimson rose to put on the first, the shortest coffin. The one for the smallest of the victims; the baby girl who was in the stroller. Afterwards, he reached into the bag and placed a stuffed puppy on top of the rose.
He approached the next one. He placed two more roses on the longest of the group; the mother's. After that, he went to the boy's coffin. He placed another rose, then placed another object on the top of it. He kept it hidden by his hand as he spoke, "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him fast enough, but I hope you'll be happy where you're going next."
Dan stood back and looked at what he placed as tears formed in his eyes, "Go there with your family and be safe..." He started walking backwards still looking at the coffin, "be safe, Ghostbuster." Dan blessed the coffins and walked back to the entrance, Janice in tow.
"Dan," Janice asked,"what was that you placed on the boy's casket?"
"Oh," Dan said while wiping his eyes, "just something to help him go to the other side."
As Daniel Shannon and Janice Bellum walked out the doors of the room and leave to where Janice's police cruiser was parked, we look in on the other object Dan placed on the rose on the coffin...
It was a Ghostbusters: Chicago Division patch.
The End